Joe's Pages » tips

Joe's top tips for healthy skin

joeinglis — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:22:36 +0000

1. Prevent parasites – always keep flea and tick treatments up to date, even in the winter as with modern central heating fleas can be a problem all year round.
2. Feed a hypoallergenic diet – true food allergies are uncommon but it makes sense to avoid the common allergens such as wheat, beef and soya. All Joe & Jack’s and Joe & Jill’s foods are hypoallergenic.
3. Minimise stress – particularly important for cats, but also for dogs – so keep intruders out of the garden and try to minimise the impact of major events such as house moves and new arrivals to the family.
4. Groom regularly – make sure you keep your pet’s coat in good condition with regular grooming.
5. Keep bedding clean – dirty dog and cat beds are not just unpleasant for your pets, they are also perfect environments for parasites such as fleas to breed in, so make sure you keep them clean.

5 step plan in a case of suspected poisoning

joeinglis — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:02:15 +0000

Remove any possible source of poison from your pet
Ring your vet and ask for immediate advice
If advised by your vet, try to induce vomiting using a teaspoon of salt on the back of the tongue. Do not try this if you suspect your pet has swallowed a corrosive poison such as bleach or toilet cleaner
Take your pet straight to the vet
If you can find a sample or container of the suspected poison, take that with you

Snow, snow and more snow!

joeinglis — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:22:56 +0000

We’ve woken up to a winter wonderland here in the Cotswolds this morning with about 8 inches of snow on the ground! As you can see, Jack thinks all of his Christmases have come at once – and Lily is also enjoying pouncing on bits of snow – so the wintery weather is proving a big hit with the animals in the Inglis household!

Snow is not all fun and games though, and it’s important to think about the welfare of your pets in this kind of weather. Here are my top vet tips for looking after your pets in the snow:

Make sure they can get warm and dry after playing in the snow – towel the dog off and make sure the cat has a warm dry bed to curl up in so they don’t get cold and increase their risk of being vulnerable to infections.
Watch out for hidden dangers in the snow – dogs in particular love racing around in the snow, but hidden dangers such as sticks, ice-covered ponds and glass can all cause injuries, so make sure you think about where your dog is going and try to limit the risks.
Clear the way – for your cat to go to the loo! Some cats hate getting their paws wet and cold in the snow and will stay indoors and hold onto their wee (or find somewhere indoors to do it!) If they do retain their wee, they are at greater risk of urinary problems, so it’s worth clearing some snow for them outside so they can use their normal outdoor loo!
Keep old dogs warm – older dogs, in particular those with arthritis, can get very uncomfortable in the cold so it’s worth putting a warm hot water bottle in their bed (the microwaveable ones are best as there’s no risk of chewing and leaking!) to keep their joints warm and supple.
A bit of extra dinner – after a long energetic day playing in the snow, why not treat your pets to a bit of extra dinner, or even cook them up something warm from my recipe books?

Winter tips for dogs

joeinglis — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:46:12 +0000

While dogs generally cope much better with the cold than we do – they after all descended from wolves – it’s still worth giving some thought to the comfort and welfare of your dog during particularly cold and snowy spells such as we are going through now. Here are my top tips for keeping your dog fit and healthy during the bleak midwinter…

Make sure they are getting enough food – if your dog is out and about a lot in this cold weather they will need extra calories to keep them going so you might need to adjust their daily ration of Joe & Jack’s accordingly.
A nice warm bed – dogs may have a thick blanket of fur to keep them warm but they still feel the cold so it’s important that you make sure your dog’s bed is somewhere warm, draught free and their bed is in good condition.
Take care on walks – we vets tend to see lots of injuries in this kind of weather from dogs sliding into things or straining ligaments as they slip and slide around. Go easy on walks and remember that your dog’s natural enthusiasm often overcomes their common sense and can get them into trouble unless you keep them in check.
Grooming – a healthy, tangle-free coat is essential for keeping your dog warm so make sure they get plenty of brushing while it is so cold.

Winter tips for your cat

joeinglis — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:43:21 +0000

Cats are independent animals and there’s only such much you can do – or need to do – to help them through this cold weather as they are pretty good at looking after themselves. But having said that, there are a few things you can do to help them stay comfortable at this time of year…

A radiator hammock – these beds are a great way of offering you cat a warm and comfortable spot to spend the winter!
Grooming – a healthy, tangle-free coat is essential for keeping your cat warm so make sure they get plenty of brushing while it is so cold.
Clear some snow from the flowerbeds so they can go to the toilet – otherwise you might find they make alternative arrangements!
Secure the Christmas tree! Cats love climbing the tree and while this can be quite amusing to watch, it can also be a quite serious risk both to the cat and also to your house, so it’s worth using fishing line to tie the top of the tree to a couple of walls to prevent it toppling over when climbed!